Vicki Prevost: Arruda left his mark on New Bedford

Peter Arruda's greatest fear when he moved away from New Bedford in 1999 was that the bowlers here would forget who he was.

VICKI PREVOST

Peter Arruda's greatest fear when he moved away from New Bedford in 1999 was that the bowlers here would forget who he was.

He found out that was not the case when he was notified that he was being inducted into the Southeastern Massachusetts USBC Bowling Association Hall of Fame.

"I got the call from (SMUSBC director) Jim Brodeur early last summer," said Arruda, 47, now of Gilbert, S.C., "and I was pleasantly surprised and very, very happy."

He made the trip up here last August to attend the SMUSBC Awards Banquet at Magoni's Ferry Landing in Somerset. His family, most of whom still live here, all attended to witness him receiving his award.

"I had a family reunion as well," he said.

While living and bowling in the New Bedford area, Arruda made his name in the local history books.

The right-handed bowler bowled 14 300 games and five 800 series' that included a high of 823. He carried a 226 average that was his Massachusetts highest average in the 1994-95 season when he was the local Bowler of the Year.

In 1998, he won a New England Bowler's Association (NEBA) title and he has three Southeastern Mass. team titles, a doubles title and an all-events title, as well as a Massachusetts state doubles title.

When he was in the New Bedford area, there were four local bowling centers (Wonder Bowl, Holiday Lanes in Westport and AMF Holiday Lanes in Somerset and the former Bowlers Country Club in Fairhaven) and he bowled leagues in all but one.

"I never bowled in a league at Holiday Lanes in Westport," he said. "I don't know why I didn't. The opportunity never arose, I guess."

Since his career-move to South Carolina, he's bowled 14 more 300 games and eight more 800 series, with a career and Columbia City record 863 series. In the 2002-03 season, he carried a career-high 230 average.

Besides his recent Hall of Fame induction, last year Arruda was inducted into the Midland (South Carolina) USBC Hall of Fame.

"A guy I bowl with," he says, "now calls me two-state."

Arruda started bowling in the Junior Program at Bowlers Country Club at 5 years old. From the ages of 12-16, he opted to play baseball instead of bowl.

"I picked it up again seriously," he said, "when I was 17 and was working at Bowlers Country Club. When I first started working there, it was Brunswick Lanes and I worked when the Gendrons and Hoestereys took over ownership and changed the name."

In 1999, he moved to South Carolina, and three months after his move there, he met Professional Bowling Association (PBA) member Jeff Bellinger.

"Meeting Bellinger," he said, "was like meeting (the now-late) Paul Joerres (his long-time mentor) all over again. We hit it off right away."

Arruda bowled on a league with Bellilnger that summer and bowled his first-two South Carolina 300 games.

"I also got asked by someone to substitute in another league a few months later," he said. "That's when I broke the city record, which was 855, when I bowled an 863. I was never asked to sub again."

He was a local association president and then vice president when the association merged with the women's association a few years ago.

Arruda has bowled in 23 USBC National Tournaments and most of the time he has cashed.

"I have traveled all over the country bowling," he said, "and have met many wonderful people."

At the most recent USBC Tournament in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he was in the fifth game of nine when he felt a tremendous pain in his bowling hand. The diagnosis: torn ligaments.

"I had surgery on Oct. 4," he said, "and my goal is to rehab in time to bowl Nationals in Reno next June. The doctor doesn't think so, but I told him I definitely will be bowling in Reno."

For the time being, Arruda is bowling left handed in his league and is averaging 145.

"I really like bowling," he said, "and I like the guys I bowl with."

He also likes the guys he used to bowl with in the New Bedford area, will never forget them and is grateful to be enshrined in their Hall of Fame.

The Southeastern Massachusetts USBC Bowling Association's 2012 Senior Tournament is Nov. 17-18 at AMF Holiday Lanes in Somerset. The bowling format is six games over two squads. Squad times on Saturday are 1:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m., 11:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The tournament is open to all certified bowlers 50 years old and older. Entry fee is $35 per bowler and entries close at the beginning of the second squad on Sunday. Please note that Sunday entries are subject to lane availability. For best choice of squads, please mail in your entry to Dale Carroll, 419 Chase Road., Dartmouth, MA 02747.

Joshua Carroll, in the Center League at Wonder Bowl, bowled his first 300 game on Oct. 24.

Roy Snow, in the Twilight League at Wonder Bowl, bowled a 300 game on Oct. 26.